Persuasive Language
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The careful choice of words can make a persuasive message powerful and compelling. Specific word choices can influence the response of readers.
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For example:
• As a result of the negotiator’s creative intervention, the adversaries embraced a settlement.
• As a result of the negotiator’s underhanded manipulation, the adversaries submitted to a settlement.
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The careful choice of words can make a persuasive message powerful and compelling. Specific word choices can influence the response of readers.
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Persuasive Language
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Click to find the negative words
Persuasive Language
What words in this message are meant to make you concerned?
Teenage drivers aged 16 to 19 have an alarming number of crashes involving dangerous violations such as reckless speeding, failing to stop, not focusing on their driving, and following too closely. New drivers may not grasp the serious consequences of these infractions.
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Persuasive Language
What words in this message are meant to make you concerned?
Teenage drivers aged 16 to 19 have an alarming number of crashes involving dangerous violations such as reckless speeding, failing to stop, not focusing on their driving, and following too closely. New drivers may not grasp the serious consequences of these infractions.
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Words have two kinds of meaning – denotative and connotative. Persuasive writing is especially dependent on the connotations of words. Click on the topic you want to explore.
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Persuasive Language
•Denotative and Connotative Meanings•Positive and Negative Connotations
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Denotative & Connotative Meanings
The denotative meaning is the dictionary definition.
Persuasive Language
lion: a large, carnivorous, feline mammal
symphony: a long musical composition for orchestra
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The denotative meaning is the dictionary definition.
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Persuasive Language
lion: a large, carnivorous, feline mammal
symphony: a long musical composition for orchestra
Denotative & Connotative Meanings
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Persuasive Language
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Denotative & Connotative Meanings
The denotative meaning is the dictionary definition.
lion: a large, carnivorous, feline mammal
symphony: a long musical composition for orchestra
The connotative meaning involves emotions and associations.
lion: strong, fierce, courageous
symphony: pleasingly complex, harmonious, weaving together various elements
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Persuasive Language
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Denotative & Connotative Meanings
The denotative meaning is the dictionary definition.
lion: a large, carnivorous, feline mammal
symphony: a long musical composition for orchestra
The connotative meaning involves emotions and associations.
lion: strong, fierce, courageous
symphony: pleasingly complex, harmonious, weaving together various elements
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Positive and Negative Connotations
Words can have both positive and negative connotations. Words with strongly positive or strongly negative connotations can shape the reactions of readers.
Persuasive Language
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Positive and Negative Connotations
Words can have both positive and negative connotations. Words with strongly positive or strongly negative connotations can shape the reactions of readers.
Persuasive Language
How does your attitude toward Leisha shift after reading the second sentence?
Leisha Knox is a brilliant medical researcher whose discoveries have saved many lives.
Leisha Knox is a dishonest technician who steals other people’s data and falsifies research results.
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Words can have both positive and negative connotations. Words with strongly positive or strongly negative connotations can shape the reactions of readers.
Persuasive Language
The positive connotations paint Leisha as an accomplished professional, while the negative connotations depict her as unqualified and a cheat.
Leisha Knox is a brilliant medical researcher whose discoveries have saved many lives.
Leisha Knox is a dishonest technician who steals other people’s data and falsifies research results.
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Words with strongly positive connotations can persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.
Persuasive Language
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Words with strongly positive connotations can persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.
Persuasive Language
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What neutral words or phrases in this statement could you turn into more positive language?
Cutting the amount of junk mail we all receive is a good way to save trees.
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Persuasive Language
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What neutral words or phrases in this statement could you turn into more positive language?
Cutting the amount of junk mail we all receive is a good way to save trees.
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Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with strongly positive connotations can persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.
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Persuasive Language
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Cutting the amount of junk mail we all receive is a good way to save trees.
ORIGINAL
Drastically reducing the amount of junk mail we all receive is an essential step in protecting our forests.
REVISED
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Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with strongly positive connotations can persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.
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Words with negative connotations can be used to create an unfavorable impression and can sway the reader toward a particular point of view.
Persuasive Language
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Words with negative connotations can be used to create an unfavorable impression and can sway the reader toward a particular point of view.
Persuasive Language
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Which words in this paragraph have negative connotations?
The embarrassing two-hour Legends Live! spectacle finally ended with an act by guitarist Teddy B. Goode. Goode pummeled the sound system with an ear-splitting solo that inflicted more pain than pleasure on the unfortunate audience.
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Words with negative connotations can be used to create an unfavorable impression and can sway the reader toward a particular point of view.
Persuasive Language
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The words with negative connotations influence the reader to imagine an extremely disappointing and unpleasant musical experience.
The embarrassing two-hour Legends Live! spectacle finally ended with an act by guitarist Teddy B. Goode. Goode pummeled the sound system with an ear-splitting solo that inflicted more pain than pleasure on the unfortunate audience.
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Avoid using slanted language. Slanted language is persuasive language that is misused, sometimes clouding factual information and disguising poor reasoning by using words with powerful connotations. Strong emotional appeals can unfairly manipulate people’s feelings unless those appeals are supported with sound reasons and evidence.
Persuasive Language
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Persuasive Language
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Which words in this paragraph are slanted to produce an unfavorable impression of environmental activists?
These self-promoting do-gooders rely on melodramatic exaggeration and cheap manipulation of people’s emotions to advance their agenda. They seem concerned about environmental issues, but their murky, incompletely thought-out programs for the earth are just plain confusing.
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Positive and Negative Connotations
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Persuasive Language
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Which words in this paragraph are slanted to produce an unfavorable impression of global warming?
These self-promoting do-gooders rely on melodramatic exaggeration and cheap manipulation of people’s emotions to advance their agenda. They seem concerned about environmental issues, but their murky, incompletely thought-out programs for the earth are just plain confusing. i
Positive and Negative Connotations
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